Espanyol Match Shows Why Barcelona Wanted Philippe Coutinho So Much

FC Barcelona’s 29-game unbeaten run came to an end as Espanyol defeated them 1-0 in the Copa del Rey. Ernesto Valverde’s heavily rotated side were OK, but they lacked cutting edge.

With Luis Suárez and Ivan Rakiti\u0107 on the bench, and Andrés Iniesta and Ousmane Dembélé injured, Barça’s lone route to goal seemed to be Lionel Messi. For once, he was off his game. He wasn’t bad, but he was far from his best. Suárez and Rakiti\u0107 failed to affect the game once they came on, as well.

Aleix Vidal has pace and industry but little else, and while Paulinho can often finish plays, he’s not the greatest at starting them. Denis Suárez has shown flashes but he’s too inconsistent to rely on. Sergi…